A new California law places additional limits on nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) and nondisparagement agreements that restrict employees’ ability to speak publicly about unlawful behavior in the workplace. Signed into law last October as SB 331, the Silenced No More Act went into effect on January 1, 2022, and expands on existing protections. Background As workplace […]
How is estate planning for unmarried couples different than if you’re married or even single? Here’s a look: Estate Planning For Unmarried Couples vs. Married Couples The significant difference is that marriage creates many legally recognized assumptions. For example, two assumptions are that your spouse will inherit your estate when you die and also make […]
At one time or another, most renters will consider whether breaking a lease is a good idea. There can be a lot of reasons to break a lease—a decrease in earnings, poor conditions on the rental property, or perhaps they just found a better deal. But people often stick it out because they’re worried about […]
Estate planning is one of the most common reasons for someone to require the services of an attorney. Virtually everyone has at least some assets, and those assets will need to be distributed after they pass away. Because this affects so many people, it’s helpful to know some of the top estate planning tips, such […]
How is your estate plan looking these days? If you created it years ago and have not kept it up to date, it might not match up with your wishes anymore. Our lives hardly ever remain static for an extended period of time, so it’s only natural that an estate plan would slowly—or sometimes rapidly—fall […]
It’s unfortunate that many Americans are loaded down with more financial debt than they can afford. There can be many reasons for this, but typically it’s the result of some significant change in financial circumstances. For example, losing a job can leave someone unable to continue making payments at the same level. If you’ve reached […]
Getting what you deserve in a lawsuit for pain and suffering isn’t always a straightforward process. An identical plaintiff might get significantly different results from different attorneys. A pro per plaintiff (someone who represents themselves) is almost sure to have a less satisfying and drastically different outcome. Even though the goal is always the same, […]
Creating a trust or multiple trusts is an indispensable part of the estate planning process for many people. Trusts offer many advantages. They can reduce taxes, simplify the probate process, and give the grantor (the person who creates the trust) some amount of control over how their assets are used and managed even after they […]
Many people don’t have an estate plan in place. They may be young or believe they don’t have enough assets. Others recognize the need for one but try to do it all on their own. While we understand the impulse to avoid hiring an attorney, the benefits generally far outweigh the drawbacks and risks of […]
When it comes to estate planning, every case is as diverse and unique as the people involved. Luckily, modern estate planning offers a wide array of tools to accommodate virtually anybody’s goals. What is right for you will largely depend on the nature of your estate and those who you want to benefit from it. […]
It’s often said that the only two certainties in life are death and taxes; one could probably also add that not only are taxes a certainty, so is Congress’s tendency to make regular changes to tax laws. This year is no different, though. Major adjustments to tax policy are not surprising with a change in […]
Imagine if someone intentionally burned down your house. You would be entitled to recover damages from the person who did it, of course, but how do you calculate the value of your losses? In a lawsuit, can you get damages for your personal pain and suffering? It’s easy to determine the economic damages—the value of […]
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to estate planning. What works well for one person or family might be different for someone else, depending on factors such as the size of their estate, whether they have young children, etc. When deciding on an appropriate estate plan, one of the more common questions people have is about […]
In California, as in other states, professionals in a wide variety of fields are required to hold a license in order to practice their trade. Such professions range from medical doctors to accountants to private investigators. Each has a licensing board or other authority that makes and enforces rules on competence, ethical standards, and more. […]
Whether a worker is designated as an independent contractor or employee has significant consequences both for the employer and the worker. Most of these consequences are financial; employers are not required to pay unemployment insurance, payroll taxes, health benefits, vacation time, and more. In return, ideally, the contractor has more control over their schedule, how […]
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